Under the Stars
by Derek the Demon Prince
Summary: Pondering how to save Sasuke from the darkness, Naruto sits sadly under the stars. That is, until Hinata comes to comfort him. Now with the Will of Fire rekindled, Naruto ventures to find the peace Jiraiya and Nagato entrusted him to find. Naruhina


**Hello fans of the great series that is Naruto. I'm typing a fanfiction so I can improve on my English throughout what I hope to be a great college career. Anyhow, I welcome constructive criticism (A flame is certainly not constructive so don't get any ideas). I hope you all enjoy this story that has taken much thought to put together.**

**I do not own the Naruto series beautifully crafted by Masashi Kishimoto**

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Today marked a special day in Konohagakure for many people. It marked the date that many brave and heroic shinobi gave their lives for the sake of their families, friends, and their people as a whole. Today is the day the Kyubi no Yoko claimed the lives of those who had the courage to defy its awesome powers. And today is also a day where many families were torn apart, some even destroyed beyond repair. This tale taking place 17 years ago is finally reaching its end. It all started with a newborn child, born a hero. A tale of a boy who grew up with the world against him is now unfolding in his favor, his village now revering him as a hero, is coming to its final chapter. The only question is, will this child die a hero? Or will he fall to the dark vices that have taken so many others, including his best friend. The final chapter of a long and emotional series starts here.

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_October 10, Konohagakure no Sato_

He couldn't believe how far he had gone in all this time throughout his life. This day he became 17 years old. Naruto stared into the water as he evaluated himself and looked at how much he changed. His vibrant blond hair and blue eyes never changed. Even the whisker marks remained on his cheeks. But it wasn't his appearance he was searching for. He was looking much more internally. Somewhere along the way, the child that once proclaimed to the world his dreams and his strengths was much calmer. Now he was no longer the boy who would scream at every whim during every moment, but a young man who now was faced with the hardest task anyone could face.

"Soon," he muttered. He was referring to his best friend and his older brother of sorts, Uchiha Sasuke. In a state of war, his village was in a state of repair hence the aftermath of Pein's attack, is also on a state of constant precaution, should the Akatsuki should invade their humble abode. Or what was left of it.

It was in the midst of the night, the villages were celebrating the birth of a hero, one they were cursing the year before. The stars shone as bright as ever throughout the clear night sky. Naruto pondered all of his accomplishments since he was born.

At birth he saved the village from the Kyubi no Yoko, at 12 he became a Genin, sometime later he took the Chunin Exams and failed to his dismay. During those exams he overcame Kiba, who insulted him at every turn. He overcame Neji, who insulted Hinata and their way of shinobi. He overcame Gaara, who wanted nothing more than to kill his friends then changed him for the better. At 13 he failed to save his best friend from falling to the darkness. Soon after he left with his master Jiraiya and trained for 2 and ½ years. At 15 he saved the Kazekage Gaara from the Akatsuki. Soon later he failed in bringing back his best friend once again. At 16 he mourned the death of his master Jiraiya, whom he learned to be his godfather. He went on to learn and master Jiraiya's signature Sage Mode, and with it he fought Pein to a near stalemate. He learned that he in fact loved by someone in the world, and then watched as she was violently ripped away an instant later. He met his father, the Yondaime Hokage, and overcame his hatred to defeat Pein. In turn he changed Nagato and he breathed life to almost everyone he killed. Naruto recently tamed the powers of the Kyubi and has spoken with his mother, Kushina Uzimaki. He has overcome all hatred to become the hero he is today through countless trials of heart and soul.

And now, sometime along the way, the hate and contempt the villagers once held for him faded away. Hatred turned to dislike, dislike turned to acknowledgement, acknowledgement turned to respect, and respect had turned to adoration. Now Naruto is revered as the hero he was born as and his tale seems to have come to an end. But unfortunately for our beloved hero, his tale does not end yet.

Naruto cannot grow complacent in a world, which does not have his best friend apart of it. Never one to give up, Naruto is now making his last attempt at saving his friend, even if it means dying himself. Naruto may have achieved his dreams of being acknowledged, but his true purpose that he set himself to the day Sasuke left is still unfulfilled.

So our hero sits sadly while looking upon the pond, pondering his failure and how he should continue forward. Despite his many accomplishments, he can only think that out of all deeds, he failed his one friend. And that will rest in his mind until he sets it right.

Closing his eyes, Naruto starts to gather in natural energy, and combine it with his chakra. He reopens his once blue eyes which now sport a yellow iris with a line replacing his pupil. Naruto never felt more at ease than he was when he was one with nature. Naruto smiled as he listened to the melody of the breeze as it brushed past his face. Instantly his mind wandered to the chakras of the villagers. He still couldn't believe that even after 4 months, Pein had revived everyone he killed that day. The image of their chakras gone still burned in the depths of his mind. He knew he would prevent that, no matter what it took. Even if it meant killing his best friend to do it.

However Naruto remembers a question that was once asked of him.

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"_If Sasuke wished to destroy your village, could you stop him? Even if it meant killing him," Itachi asked of Naruto._

"_I would save both the village and Sasuke," Naruto responded without hesitation. Itachi shook his head._

"_That is nothing but a fantasy world that you dream of. Sasuke is like a blank canvas. He could be painted any color by anyone who pleases to do so. What would you do if someone evil got a hold of him?"_

"_Then I would save him, cuz I'm a better brother than you'll ever be!"_

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If only those words were so easy to believe as they used to be. Naruto had never doubted his ability to change people or protect his friends, but his recent encounter with Sasuke had taken a turn he did not foresee. Sasuke may be beyond saving in this life where he cannot understand or be understood by anyone else. But if he and Sasuke die fighting, he believes that through their fists and death they will understand each other in the next life.

Now Naruto was faced with a new choice. Could he truly die? Just to create and understanding with his friend? Especially if that friend doesn't want to understand him, could he really make that sacrifice? Naruto was at first willing to do just that, but now he was unsure.

He realizes the village loves him, and he knows that many of them will mourn his death, some harder than most. Some will turn to hatred and vengeance. War will consume the land once more, the establishment of peace Jiraiya, Pein, his father, and his mother died for would have been for naught. They tasked him with finding the answer to peace and he swore he wouldn't let them down.

Naruto is torn in between saving his friend, and saving the world. He knows that if he dies, the answer to peace and the hopes of many people will die with him. He knows if he kills Sasuke, then there would be only more hatred and more vengeance. He also knows that Sasuke is at the point where he doesn't want to be saved, and reasoning with him will be near if not already impossible. Naruto has always changed people before, but he always failed when it came to Sasuke.

Naruto suddenly sensed a chakra within a few yards behind him and tenses up. He quickly searches it out using his power over nature and relaxes. It was Hinata Hyuga, watching him as always. Naruto came to the realization that Hinata had been watching him once she confessed to him. At first Naruto was scared and unable to bring himself to approach her. The matter with Sasuke didn't help either and it was crushing him.

"You can come out, Hinata," Naruto spoke softly. Hinata's footsteps were heard to him as she approached. Naruto decided to let go of the natural energy he was holding within him and revert to his normal state. "It's been awhile," he commented awkwardly, not having prepared for this moment.

"Yes, it has," Hinata responded quietly. "Happy Birthday Naruto-kun." She could tell Naruto had something weighing on his mind other than the day and took a deep breath.

"Listen, I… No, never mind," Naruto stated quietly. He couldn't bring himself to continue his comment. Hinata gave him a concerned questioning glance. Naruto sighed and decided to continue it anyway.

"I'm sorry that I didn't speak with you after what happened. It's just…" Naruto trailed off once more. "Never mind, I was going to make an excuse for myself. I guess I've never been good at that," Naruto stated sheepishly. Hinata gave a light smile.

"It's ok, I would never hold it against you. I understand with what's going on with Sasuke that you've been busy," she stated. Naruto shook his head.

"No, its not that. I was just… Kinda scared," Naruto replied quietly. Hinata wore a confused expression. Naruto then sighed in return, knowing he was gonna have to explain. "I was afraid to talk to you after what happened. I… wasn't sure how I felt, after you… You told me you admired me… loved me. Then when Pein stabbed you… I just couldn't control my hatred. Even after all of that, I was still afraid. It's like the worst day of my life, turned into the best moment I've ever had…then it turned into the worst thing that could ever happen seconds later. Even now, I'm confused," Naruto explained. Hinata could only stare politely as Naruto said all of this to her. "No one had ever said they loved me before… I… I want to say thank you Hinata. I can't tell you how happy I am right now. But at the same time, I feel sad."

"What do you mean Naruto-kun," she asked as she adorned a concerned look on her face.

"It's just, a big part of me, wants to take the love you've given me and keep it to myself. But I also feel like if I started… I dunno, like dating you or whatever, I would be afraid if I found out that I didn't feel the same way about you, and stomped on your feelings. It wouldn't be right," Naruto concluded. "So to avoid longing for the love you've shown me… I avoided you."

"…I see," Hinata responded turning away. Naruto could not see, but she was smiling, with tears in her eyes welling up. "I should of known, y-you would never do anything to hurt your precious people. You didn't want to hurt me, is that it Naruto-kun," she asked him. Naruto nodded silently, not caring if Hinata was looking or not.

"I didn't want it to look like I hated you or anything. I just… wanted some time to sort my own feelings out. I knew it might be hurting you, but I couldn't just come out and say it. I wish I did," Naruto said, regret evident in his voice. "And now I'm going to fight Sasuke soon, it was easier for me to forget. I was being selfish. I'm sorry."

"Don't be, it's ok Naruto-kun. I understand how you feel. I'm glad that you would consider me," Hinata stated. "It's me who should be apologizing." Naruto gave her the most bewildered look he could.

"What's that supposed to mean," he asked incredulously.

"It was… unfair of me to profess my feelings when there is so much going on in your life. You're torn between saving your friend and now that I see how I made things worse by telling you. I'm s-"

"Don't you dare say it," Naruto exclaimed. Hinata was startled when Naruto cut her off. "You should never regret for saying how you feel, let alone apologize to me if it _"bothers" _me. Nothing in my life compared how you made me feel when you said those words to me. Just cuz I can't get myself in order doesn't mean it's your fault. I'm just an idiot, ok?"

Hinata shook her head before smiling. "Never go back on my word," she said simply before staring into the sky. Naruto then realized the tears evident on her face. "You're not an idiot Naruto-kun. Please don't call yourself that."

"…Alright… Say, Hinata?"

"Hmm," she responded quietly.

"Somewhere in the world, our friends, and everyone, are all staring at the same sky right now. Do you think that somehow we're all connected," Naruto asked.

"What do you mean? I don't understand Naruto," Hinata responded.

"It's just, we don't understand each other all the time. Everyone is different. Even you and I don't understand each other completely. But despite that…we still come together as friends, along with everyone else in the village. And every person in the world sees these stars. The sky connects all the stars together as they stare down at us. So… maybe we're all connected through understanding. Some of us more than others… Listen to me, I sound hella cheesy, don't I," Naruto stated with a laugh. Hinata joined him in his laughter and they both felt happy for the first time in awhile. Naruto paused for a minute as the laughter died down.

"Though it makes me wonder sometimes… Sasuke is somewhere out there underneath these same stars. But I feel like he's not even here on this planet. He constantly tells me I can never understand him, being born with no parents, that my bonds are nothing compared to his. I feel like I understand him one minute, then he does something else the next. I can't understand how he continues to shut everyone out, when all we want to do is help him. It's gotten so bad now all he sees in us is people he wants to kill. Is he impossible to reach," Naruto asked himself. "I'm starting to think so. I feel… so useless when it comes to him. All I do is fail, and I'm afraid I'm going to fail again."

"Are you doubting yourself Naruto-kun," Hinata asked him.

"… I don't know what to do anymore," Naruto admitted. Hinata stood up much to the shock of Naruto.

"Sasuke is doing what he believes and you should never blame yourself for what he chooses! He's turned his back on you, on Sakura, on everyone, and you blame yourself for something he's chosen to do! You never failed Sasuke as a friend Naruto, he's the one who failed you! While you may be trying to show him he's still welcome with you, he constantly rejects it, wallowing in his own self-pity because he's a horrible friend who's lucky to be considered even that," Hinata exclaimed with surprising anger. Naruto was shocked at how Hinata openly voiced her opinion so passionately. Instantly Hinata's face grew red as she immediately sat back down and apologized multiple times. Naruto smiled.

"No, don't apologize, you're right Hinata. I shouldn't blame myself, it's just, hard to accept. I'd rather it be my fault sometimes, that way I could fix it," Naruto said softly. Hinata took a deep breath before gazing upon the stars once more.

"Naruto, don't ever give up hope. Knowing you, you'll fix things with him," Hinata said. "You've always have and I know you always will. You never back down on your word." Naruto stared at Hinata for a long while before realizing something. The hopelessness he felt earlier disappeared completely and he felt he was capable of doing anything.

"You're right, thank you, Hinata…chan," he added at the end. Hinata blushed madly before turning away. Naruto laughed as he watched Hinata's display of shyness. "You really make me feel better every time we talk. We ought to talk more often," Naruto stated. Hinata turned to look at Naruto giving up on covering her red face. "We should hang out more often, ne, Hinata-chan?"

Mustering up all the courage she had, she nodded. "Y-yeah, I'd like that."

Naruto smiled widely before standing up and yelling out, "Best Birthday ever dattebayo!" Hinata could only giggle as she watched Naruto's antics.

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With that moment our hero once again resurfaced to the light, ready to face every challenge that came at him. No matter what the darkness may bring, Naruto will overcome it.

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**That marks the end of my first chapter. I can't believe I almost came to 3000 words… Well I hope you all really enjoyed and I hope to post more as this is not a one-shot despite its appearances to be one. I would appreciate your reviews as well as constructive criticism as I am trying to improve for my college English class. Also I won't lie, I love compliments. n.n**

**Slade Uchiha over and out, taking the world by force. :P**


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